1. Field of the Invention
The inventions disclosed and taught herein relate generally to air inlet and outlet hoods for ventilating equipment and/or spaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,430 discloses, according to the Abstract, An assembly of louver blades attached to a frame for positioning in a ventilating opening provided in the wall of a building and defining an air handling device through which air is free to flow. The louver blades may be disposed in either horizontal or vertical orientation. The flowing air traverses passageways defined by the louver blades, and eventually exits said passageways on the side opposite of its original entrance. Raindrops, which may have accompanied the air stream as airborne free water, are extracted to an acceptable degree through natural gravitational forces and other means whereby said water is caused to be deposited upon the surfaces of the louver blades. Drainage means are provided whereby the water is effectively drained from the louver blades to the exterior of the louver assembly and falls harmlessly to the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,183 discloses, according to the Abstract, An apparatus for separating particles from a gas flow . . . comprising: . . . A plurality of corrugated separator plates arranged in spaced parallel relation to each other and defining wave-like flow channels between each other. The warped surfaces of the separator plates are generated in cross-section by at least three circular arcs connected continuously and with alternating directions of curvature. The radius of each of the three circular arcs is different, the radius of the arc representing the crest being the smallest. The arcs define at least one crest between two troughs, forming an intake section and an outlet-section, respectively of each separator plate. A first separating chamber is provided opening towards the gas flow on the convex side of the crest and is formed by a blade projecting from the downstream side of the crest toward its upstream side and running along the crest. A plurality of serrations running along underneath the crests [are] arranged opposite to the separating chambers of the crest of the adjacent separator plate. The smaller radius of the second arc and the serrations together with the separating chamber provide a narrowing of the duct toward the crest to increase the speed of the fluid flow. A collision occurs between the main upstream gas flow and a continuous gas flow recoil from the first separating chamber, causing a stationary micro-turbulence in the vicinity of the serrations without a significant loss of energy and speed, whereby even the smallest particles are separated by the serrations. Two additional separating chambers of specific cross-sections are provided strategically on the downstream past the crest, each retaining material particles not caught previously.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,224 discloses, according to the Abstract, A louver with vertical blades arranged in a frame alternately in a staggered relation from front to back in a front and a rear row. The blades in at least the front row have a web oriented substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the frame and substantially parallel to the jambs, a pair of front flanges extending in opposite directions generally laterally from a front edge of the web, and a pair of rear flanges extending in opposite directions generally laterally from a rear edge of the web. The webs subdivide the air flow volume within the frame into flow channels, each of which is partially blocked laterally by the front flanges and the rear flanges of the blades of the front row. The blades of the rear row have flanges that block the portions of the channels between the extremities of the flanges of the blades of the front row. The flanges of the adjacent blades overlap so that there is no straight path through the flow channels along which air and water entrained in the air can pass perpendicularly to the plane of the frame and the air flows along a tortuous flow path of approximately constant area. The flanges are configured to control and trap water impinging on them.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,244, according to the Abstract, “A storm louver (10, 12) having a plurality of spaced blades (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) for removing water particles from air flowing into a building or air handling equipment is disclosed. Each louver (10, 12) has an improved blade support frame (18) that permits the blades (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) to be more quickly and easily installed in the support frame (18) and that more firmly supports the blades. A modular louver system including at least two individual louvers that can be easily connected for installation in openings of any size is also disclosed.”
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,445, according to the Abstract, A modular louver system is disclosed which utilizes a series of joined frames having the same basic cross section, a series of spacers, and a series of louver vanes having the same v shaped cross section. The frames have a t-shaped channel, with inwardly facing channel lips defining the narrow portion of the t-shaped channel. The louver vanes have a dovetail at each end, where the dovetail neck will fit in the area defined by the inwardly facing channel lips. In addition, the spacers are shaped so that they will rest in the t-shaped channel and will either separate the louver vanes from each other or from an adjacent frame. The louver vane dovetails are inserted in the t-shaped channels of opposing frames, with at least one spacer inserted in the t-shaped channels to separate the louver vanes from each other and from an adjacent frame. Where [a] rectangular connection is desired, the frames are connected either [sic] using a clip joint arrangement. Where the modular louver system uses rounded corners, a corner frame is used to allow for a rounded edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,940 discloses, according to its Abstract, An airflow unit, especially a filter fan or discharge filter with or without a fan for installation in an installation opening in a wall, especially a housing for components that produce waste heat, includes a ventilation grating composed of a frame holding a filter medium, a support member with a frame having a peripheral wall surface which expands outwardly, wherein the support member is provided with airflow openings and with water-diverting wings or rib formations. A shielding grating is inserted in the support member on a side facing away from the ventilation grating. An IP seal is foamed onto the support member for protection against splash water and spray water. All components of the airflow unit are held together by clamp or screw connections. The airflow unit is placed on the outer wall surface of the wall of the housing and is preferably detachably connected with the housing wall.